Resurrecting Project Triple Threat Trans Am

[WSSix]

Originally Posted by Doug1

You have a good memory. That car started showing some rust and after getting after it, found more damage than i expected. It is now a rotisserie stripped down to bare metal. I just installed a new full floor in it and am getting ready to mini-tub it and put in DSE subframe connectors.

Awesome! Sorry for the thread jack. It's just that I like to keep track of the late 2nd gen builds. That and what can I say, there's just something about a dark blue TA that I like

[Doug1]

Going to backtrack with a few posts from the previous thread.

726 hp 535 Pontiac IA2 block
American Powertrain T56 Magnum
Art Morrison built 9" housing with Moser aluminum "through bolt" center section, with 35 spline Wave-Trac, 1350 series aluminum yoke, and aluminum pinion support. Moser 35 spline axles.


The rendering....

[Doug1]

A few more I just got from AME as they were building the clips.

















Front and rear clip ready to ship!

[Doug1]

[Doug1]

[Doug1]

Hydyne Motorsports is custom making a set of one off wheels. Here are the centers fresh from cutting. They will be polished and then anodized a dark grey.



Here is a link to their website
http://www.hydynemotorsport.com/

[Doug1]

Engine and transmission finally getting fitted to the car. It looks like the engine will need to go back into the firewall several inches so it can drop in back of the rack and pinion. More work but it should help with the handling a bit. The transmission crossmember is going to have to move back a few inches as well.




[IMG]http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc231/dcamburn/1979%20Trans%20Am%20-%20Black/784

[Doug1]

Well, as with all such projects, this one is taking a long and winding road to get to completion. The car is back at my home now as Chad was unable to finish the car. Took it to Dan Holohan for an assessment and he gave me the unvarnished truth. Basically, I have a lot of really cool parts and a lot of problems to solve.

So at first I decided to just sell it off for parts and start over but since then I have had a change of heart and decided to do this as a general contractor type job. I'll sub out the stuff I don't feel comfortable doing and do the rest myself.

Here are some "as it sits" photos...






One of Dan's suggestions that I liked was to make this a full frame car so the body can be removed in order to powdercoat the chassis. I'll get rid of the round tube stuff that was added in which I highlighted in the large blue oval and tie the front and back chassis together with the same tubing used by AME. The tie in within the small blue oval will be left though I prefer to use something other than round tubing since it just doesn't fit well visually with rest of the frame.


Then we'll cut the frame loose from the body in the only other point it is welded in, which is where the cross member hits the rockers. See area highlighted in red.

I'll put plates on the ends of the frame crossmember and matching plates in the rockers and have it bolt in there.

Then we'll cut the fuel cell "cage" that was fabricated loose and move it forward a few inches in order to trim the rear frame rails to the proper length and move the cross rail back so it can sit behind the tail panel without interfering with the bumper mounts as it does now.


Once these are located properly, I'll put end plates in place with bolt holes that will allow the endplates, body and bumper supports to all be held together with the same 4 bolts on each side.

[Doug1]

After meeting with multiple local fabricators now a clearer plan is beginning to form. After so many people have advised, I am considering moving the engine forward closer to the stock position, but still have not decided on that. I want to go back and look over the data available before finalizing that decision. I'm not really worried about foot room as I have a Tilton floor mount 3 piece pedal setup going in that will leave more than enough room.

I'm definitely going to make the car a solid frame with a bolt on body. I'll contact Art Morrison Enterprises and see if they have any suggestions to do this a different way other than what I have planned. Currently we have 4 bolt on areas planned for each side and will build an structural cage welded to the inside of the body shell. Since there will be numerous places in the top from which the car could be lifted using the cage, I am going to look for some sort of inserts that can be popped out and then have eye hooks that screw into permanently welded in attachement points. Just need to figure out how to make that look good.

So the tenative date to start fabrication will be in February, if the fabricator finishes up his current work by then. We have a few other interesting things planned for the interior metal fabrication including a removable rear panel than will allow access to the 4 link area which will have a matching panel with a lexan insert to use for shows.

While I am waiting on the fabricator to get to the frame changes and interior sheetmetal, I will now go in search of a body guy capable of stretching the fenders to allow room for the big tires to sit more flush with the sides.

[Payton King]

Unless you remove the rear seat and change your seating position, by the photos, you will not have enough foot room. I would mock up a seat, headers and your pedals before committing to that engine placement.

Not saying that it cannot be done, but you will need to relocate your seat further back.